STORAGE 24 January 11th 2013

 

unsuspecting Londoners find themselves stranded at a storage facility and stalked by an otherworldly predator after a downed military cargo plane leaves the entire city on lockdown. Former couple Charlie (Noel Clarke) and Shelley (Antonia Campbell-Hughes) are at a storage unit splitting up their possessions with friends Mark (Colin O'Donoghue) and Nikki (Laura Haddock) when the mysterious contents of an airplane are scattered all throughout London. As a result, the police decree that all citizens must remain in their homes until further notice. Later, when the lights in the storage facility go dark, the foursome realize they are trapped inside with a killer creature of unknown origin. Eventually, the terrified survivors realize that their only hope of making it out of the ordeal alive is to find a means of escaping a building that was designed to keep its contents completely secure. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

TEXAS CHAINSAW JANUARY 4TH 2013

 

ripping right through the silver screen in this sequel that picks up exactly where Tobe Hooper's shocking 1974 classic left off. For decades, people in Newt, Texas, had been vanishing into thin air. When a horrified  girl escaped from the Sawyer house after seeing her friends butchered like cattle, the townspeople's worst fears about the reclusive clan were confirmed. Enraged, the locals formed a mob, burned down the blood-soaked abattoir, and methodically killed every member of the family. But in the blazing chaos of that fateful night, one of the Sawyers slipped away into the darkness. For decades it seemed as if the nightmare had ended. But when a young woman named Heather Miller (Alexandra Daddario) receives word that her distant grandmother has passed away, willing her a secluded Victorian mansion in the Texas desert, the discovery of a dark secret hidden deep in the cellar reveals the Sawyer's legacy of evil lives on. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Bad Kids Go to Hell December 07th 2012

Six private school high school kids find themselves stuck in detention on a frightfully dark and stormy Saturday afternoon. During their 8 hour incarceration, each of the six kids fall victim to a horrible "accident" until only one of them remains. As each of these spoiled rich kids bites the dust, the story takes on a series of humorous and frantic twists and turns. Is one of the kids secretly evening the school's social playing field? Or have the ghosts of prestigious Crestview Academy finally come to punish the school's worst brats? One thing is for sure...Daddy's money can't save them now.

V/H/S

Group of criminals scour a secluded country home for a mysterious videotape, and bear witness to scenes of unimaginable terror in this found-footage-style anthology horror film featuring segments from Glenn McQuaid (I Sell the Dead), Ti West (House of the Devil), Joe Swanberg (Silver Bullets), David Bruckner (The Signal), Adam Wingard (You're Next, and Radio Silence). It seemed like a simple job; all they needed to do was enter the home, find the videotape, and deliver it to their boss. But from the moment they arrived, a sinister tension descended. Gaining access to the house, the young thugs discover a rotting corpse amidst a collection of vintage television sets, and stockpiles of VHS tapes. Somewhere amidst the stacks is the tape they seek, but with each new video they watch, the dread continues to build. The sights that they witness are too horrible for words, but the greatest shock is yet to come. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The Apparition

Tom Felton (the Harry Potter film series), Ashley Greene (the Twilight Saga series), and Sebastian Stan headline this tale of two young college students who are conducting a paranormal experiment when they unleash a terrifying supernatural force that thrives on fear. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

THE BAY

 

 after a massive government cover-up involving a parasitic outbreak in a small seaside town, a reporter unearths chilling footage that reveals the terrifying truth in this ound footage-style shocker from Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson. On July 4th, 2009, the town of Claridge, Maryland experienced an unprecedented biological disaster. An isopod parasite typically found in fish somehow found its way into a human host. As the town gathered for its annual Independence Day celebration, the parasite began to spread at unprecedented speeds, consuming its victims from the inside out. Now witness the terrifying events that unfolded that fateful holiday weekend as captured on the security cameras, mobile phones, and webcams of the people who witnessed them firsthand, but never lived to tell their stories. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Rosemary's Baby Blu-Ray October 30th 2012

 

In Roman Polanski's first American film, adapted from Ira Levin's horror bestseller, a young wife comes to believe that her offspring is not of this world. Waifish Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) and her struggling actor husband, Guy (John Cassavetes), move into the Bramford, an old New York City apartment building with an ominous reputation and only elderly residents. Neighbors Roman and Minnie Castevet (Sidney Blackmer and Ruth Gordon) soon come nosing around to welcome the Woodhouses to the building; despite Rosemary's reservations about their eccentricity and the weird noises that she keeps hearing, Guy starts spending time with the Castevets. Shortly after Guy lands a plum Broadway role, Minnie starts showing up with homemade chocolate mousse for Rosemary. When Rosemary becomes pregnant after a mousse-provoked nightmare of being raped by a beast, the Castevets take a special interest in her welfare. As the sickened Rosemary becomes increasingly isolated, she begins to suspect that the Castevets' circle is not what it seems. The diabolical truth is revealed only after Rosemary gives birth, and the baby is taken away from her. Polanski's camerawork and Richard Sylbert's production design transform the realistic setting (shot on-location in Manhattan's Dakota apartment building) into a sinister projection of Rosemary's fears, chillingly locating supernatural horror in the familiar by leaving the most grotesque frights to the viewer's imagination. This apocalyptic yet darkly comic paranoia about the hallowed institution of childbirth touched a nerve with late-'60s audiences feeling uneasy about traditional norms. Produced by B-horror maestro William Castle, Rosemary's Baby became a critically praised hit, winning Gordon an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Inspiring a wave of satanic horror from The Exorcist (1973) to The Omen (1976), Rosemary's Baby helped usher in the genre's modern era by combining a supernatural story with Alfred Hitchcock's propensity for finding normality horrific. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi

"VAMPS" November 2nd 2012

 

Radiant New York City vampires Goody (Alicia Silverstone) and Stacy find their immortality in question after they learn that true love endures in the realm of the undead. Meanwhile, Russian bloodsucker Vadim (Justin Kirk) prowls the streets in search of the next big thrill, Dr. Van Helsing (Wallace Shawn) seeks to exterminate the creatures of the night, and young Joey Van Helsing (Dan Stevens) develops an unusual fixation on Stacy. As ravenous vampire Cisserus (Sigourney Weaver) presides over her dark dynasty with the help of her loyal assistant Ivan (Todd Barry), oddball Renfield (Zak Orth) strives to impress Stacy and Goody by any means necessary. Amidst all of the bloodshed and intrigue, nefarious vampire Vlad (Malcolm McDowell) works to perfect his knitting skills. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

• Release date:November 2, 2012

"Growl" Coming Soon??

 

"Growl" concerns a traveling underground fight club called 'The Brawlers' that arrives at a derelict ghost town tucked away in the Colorado Rockies. They meet the town's only residents, the Maxilla family, who want to buy on to the fight card. But the Maxilla family's true intentions for the Brawler crew is soon revealed in teeth and claws. Some will be hunted, some will be feed, and some will become part of the family whether they like it or not.

Paranormal Activity 4 October 19th 2012

 

The film takes place five years after Paranormal Activity 2, which ended with Katie kidnapping Hunter. It follows the life of Alice, her boyfriend Alex, her mother, and her brother Wyatt, as paranormal activity starts to occur in their home when Katie and Hunter (now called Robbie) move into the neighborhood. A laptop is one of the techniques in the film, as well as the Kinect as seen from the trailers.^[3] After Katie goes to the hospital, Alice's Mother takes Robbie (Hunter) into the house, which leads to strange occurrences around the house

Orignal "Halloween" Back In Theatres Starting Oct 25th 2012

original "Halloween," directed by John Carpenter. And now fans who missed its theater run in 1978 will finally get to see it on the big screen, starting October 25. Screenvision announced Tuesday that "Halloween" will run in a limited number of theaters along with the special feature documentary "You Can't Kill the Boogeyman: 35 Years of Halloween.

There's no word yet on when it will end its run, although it's fair to say you can expect to see it through at least October 31, but you can also expect a huge demand for tickets, so I would recommend buying early if you are interested.

 

Screenvision has a list of theaters confirmed so far that will update as new theaters are added through September 28. They include links to buy tickets online, although some theaters are not selling tickets yet, so check back often in your area.

Silent Hill Revelation 3D October 26th 2012

 

Based on the groundbreaking video game franchise, SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D is the sequel to the hit film SILENT HILL, which opened to number one at the U.S. box office and took in nearly $100 million at the worldwide box office. Featuring an unparalleled horror experience, Konami's Silent Hill franchise has captivated fans for more than a decade and has spawned a hit comic book series, graphic novels, collectible action figures and numerous soundtracks from rock bands.

In SILENT HILL: REVELATION 3D, Heather Mason (Clemens) and her father (Bean) have been on the run, always one step ahead of dangerous forces that she doesn't fully understand. On the eve of her 18th birthday, plagued by horrific nightmares and the disappearance of her father, Heather discovers she's not who she thinks she is. The revelation leads her deeper into a demonic world that threatens to trap her forever.

SINISTER October 12th 2012

 

A struggling true crime author stumbles into a grim supernatural mystery that threatens the lives of his entire family in this nightmarish horror yarn from director Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Day the Earth Stood Still). Ellison (Ethan Hawke) is seeking inspiration for his latest novel when he moves his wife and children into a home where an entire family perished under gruesome circumstances. Terror hits close to home, however, when the writer discovers a box of old family movies in the attic of his new home, and watches in horror as images of varies families being murdered flicker before his eyes. Now the deeper Ellison investigates the disturbing case, the more he begins to fear he has stirred an ancient evil that won't rest until it has claimed his entire family. Vincent D'Onofrio and James Ransone co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

image of Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan’s cameo in ‘Scary Movie 5’ released

the scariest scene in the horror movie history:
Lindsay Lohan frolicking in bed with Charlie Sheen.

Dimension Films released the first image Thursday of the two gossip-mag favorites from their cameo in the upcoming parody “Scary Movie 5.”

Sheen and Lohan’s on-screen tryst doesn’t last long, apparently, as the couple are destined to be offed in the opening scene. But it’s still a major casting coup for the latest installment in the horror parody franchise
.
The scandal-scarred stars join a semi-exclusive club of “Scary Movie” body-count notches that includes Pamela Anderson, Shaquille O’Neal and Dr. Phil. Sheen is also a veteran of the series, having appeared in the two previous installments for his pal, director David Zucker.
Zucker co-wrote the script for “Scary Movie 5,” but “Undercover Brother” director Malcolm Lee is taking over this time around.

The movie will hit theaters on April 19.
It’s a further sign of how far Sheen and Lohan have come since their careers were temporarily derailed by self-inflicted damage.

The 47-year-old Sheen, fired from “Two and a Half Men” last year after a very public meltdown, is back on a winning streak. He’s just wrapped up playing the U.S. President in Robert Rodriguez’s “Machete” sequel. FX recently picked up 90 more episodes of his comeback vehicle, “Anger Management.”

Lohan, 26, hit a bit of speed bump on her comeback trial Wednesday morning after being arrested for allegedly clipping a Manhattan chef with her Porsche.

“They acted like I was nothing,” Jose Rodriguez told The News about the “Mean Girls” star and her male companions. “That no one could touch her because she was rich and powerful.”
The actress, however, did complete filming “The Canyons” and the Elizabeth Taylor biopic, “Liz & Dick,” her first two major roles in two years after legal and drug issues seemed to damage her standing in Hollywood.by ethan sacks


 

DARK CIRCLES (2012)

When new parents Alex and Penny retreat from the city and move into a place outside town, the stress and massive sleep-deprivation caused by their infant has both of them seeing things in the house that may or may not exist. Persistent sightings of a strange woman has each of them wondering if they are suffering from hallucinations, or if their new home holds a dark, supernatural presence. As their fragile grasp on reality spirals into delirium, Alex and Penny find themselves nearly helpless to deal with the horrific truth of what is really going in this house.

Night of the Living Dead: Origins 3D (2012)

The CG-animated prequel Night of the Living Dead: Origins is an expansion of the original film rather then just a straight forward prequel. It is a chance to see moments in the undead uprising that were only alluded to, while tapping into the back stories of the main characters who have been familiar to us for over 40 years

THE GREY

Killer-wolves movie about an oil drilling team who struggle to survive after their plane crashes in the frozen Alaskan wild. Soon they are being hunted by a deadly pack… Liam Neeson is the star and his A-Team director is behind the camera, but the tone here is tense and desperate. Looks like The Edge with a high body count. For those who say the premise is totally unrealistic, a woman was killed by wolves in Alaska in 2010, and attacks have become more common. But what everyone’s most interested in is Neeson’s broken bottle knuckles, which he uses for self defense. The movie looks gruelling, entertaining and Neeson has basically got better and better with age.

Hollow (2012) Theatrical Release Date: September 19th 2012

Plot

An old monastery in a small, remote village in Suffolk, England has been haunted by a local legend for centuries. Left in ruin and shrouded by the mystery of a dark spirit that wills young couples to suicide, the place has been avoided for years, marked only by a twisted, ancient tree with an ominous hollow said to be the home of great evil. When four friends on holiday explore the local folklore, they realize that belief in a myth can quickly materialize into reality, bringing horror to life for the town.

SILENT HOUSE

Chris Kentis and Laura Lau return to terra firma for this remake of the "real time" Uruguayan thriller La Casa Muda. Their summer cottage vandalized by squatters during the off-season, Sarah (Elizabeth Olsen), her father, and her uncle begin the laborious process of cleaning the place up when noises from within hint they are not alone. Now the deeper Sarah ventures into the derelict building, the further the secrets of her dark past are dragged out into the light. As with La Casa Muda, Silent House was shot in one continuous take, a production style that allows the viewer to experience the swelling tension of Sarah's horror firsthand as she unlocks a diabolical mystery. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

DETENTION

A bunch of high-school students struggle to make it through senior year without dying in this crazy

satire of teen-themed slasher flicks and youth comedies. Riley (Shanley Caswell) is a clever but cynical social outcast at Grizzly Lake High School, and she's the unrequited love object of Sander (Aaron David Johnson), who is even less popular and more sexually frustrated than she is. Meanwhile, ironically named hipster Clapton (Josh Hutcherson) is head over heels for Ione , a beautiful but self-obsessed cheerleader. All four are waiting out their final year of high school, but it's anyone's guess if they'll see graduation, as a serial killer known as CinderHella is on the loose and preying on Grizzly Lake's student body. The principal (Dane Cook) is certain CinderHella is a disgruntled student and figures he can keep the prom from turning into a bloodbath by putting the likely suspects in all-day detention on the day of the big dance, but obviously that doesn't go as he planned. Meanwhile, various students struggle with shape-shifting, contract flesh-eating diseases, discover time travel, and fall victim to a gang making porn videos on school grounds. Directed by Joseph Kahn (who makes an uncharitable reference to his own directorial debut in the early reels), Detention received its world premiere at the 2011 South by Southwest Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

MUST SEE ON BLU-RAY "28 Weeks Later"

28 Weeks Later is a example of a horror sequel that is every bit as scary – sometimes even more so – than its predecessor. Directed by Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, who takes over from 28 Days Later helmer Danny Boyle, 28 Weeks Later is a far more intense and political installment than the original film. The story begins with Don,a tender husband and father who, along with his wife Alice and a few others, is holed up in a rural cabin when the infected attack. Don manages to run away from the infected, but he will learn that running from himself will be just as difficult.

The transfer presents a clear image with just enough roughness to preserve the visual edge. What grain is visible is entirely purposeful and inherent to the production. And with no sign of major artifacting and the deepest black levels afforded by the HD format, the transfer does excellent service to the material. Whether it's creating a soundscape of hungry infected or eloquently creating the silence of deserted city, the sound really works here. Big moments and small moments, open moments and dark, claustrophobic moments – the Blu-ray uses Dolby and DTS audio in all the right ways to expand upon and enliven the world. High marks.ign

Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D

37 years in the making,comes on the tail end of two alternate sequels and three failed attempts at rebooting the franchise.

Tobe Hooper’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which will receive yet another installment into its long-running horror series when Lionsgate releases The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D on Oct. 5, 2012. Directed by John Luessenhop, this sequel promises to build directly off of Hooper’s 1974 original, and even lured some key cast members back for cameos and supporting roles.

In a press release,Lionsgate revealed that Gunnar Hansen, who played Leatherface in Hooper’s original, will return to the franchise for a cameo. He has not been seen in any other Chainsaw film since brutally murdering innocent teenagers back in ’74. Also returning to the franchise for the first time since the initial film will be veteran “Scream Queen” Marilyn Burns (playing a new character) and John Dugan.

They aren’t the only cast members with Chainsaw roots, though. Bill Moseley, who played Choptop in Hooper’s 1983 sequel, will replace the late Jim Siedow in the role of Old Man. The Chainsaw veterans will act alongside newcomers Dan Yeager, Alexandra Daddario (Percy Jackson and the Olympians), Trey Songz, Keram Malicki-Sanchez and Tania Raymonde.

Lionsgate says Adam Marcus’s script will pick up right where the ’74 version left off, following a young woman

who heads to Texas to collect an inheritance, only to find a family of chainsaw wielding maniacs. And it will be in 3D. And Jessica Biel is nowhere in sight.by sean o connell

ATROCIOUS

ATROCIOUS is a gruesome, mind-bending thriller shot in a style reminiscent of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. The horror film excerpts found footage from a film reel recovered by Spanish police, documenting a family of five discovering the truth behind a dangerous urban legend. The 37 hours of found footage follow Cristian and July Quintanilla passing time at their summer home by investigating a terrifying and mysterious urban legend. As their investigation intensifies, strange occurrences in and around the house escalate rapidly, culminating finally in unspeakable atrocities.

THE PACT (2012)

After their mother passes away, sisters Nicole and Annie reluctantly return to their childhood home to pay their last respects. While staying overnight in the house, the sisters sense a mysterious presence in their midst: noises startling them in the night, objects moving about, a fallen picture of an unknown woman posed next to their mother. Annie begins experiencing a series of intense and disturbing dreams -- visions that lead her to uncover something terrible about her mother's past that is finally revealing itself.

Genre(s):

Horror,Thriller

Run Time:

91min.

Tales That Witness Madness

A reworking of their earlier omnibus Asylum, this anthology of pulp horror tales from Amicus, this one helmed by the ever-reliable Freddie Francis. It features a quartet of eerie vignettes involving four patients in the care of psychiatrist Dr. Tremayne (Donald Pleasence), who is attempting to justify his weird theories to a colleague (Jack Hawkins, who died shortly after his scenes were filmed) by explaining the horrific events that drove the patients to their current state. The first tale centers on a young boy (Russell Lewis), whose parents' constant squabbling prompts him to conjure an imaginary tiger to devour them. The second involves a Victorian-era bicycle which allows its finder (Peter McEnery) to travel back in time and live as his own ancestor. The goofy third chapter pits a jealous wife against a strange rival for her husband's attention: a tree possessed by a human soul. The final segment stars Kim Novak (a last-minute replacement for Rita Hayworth) as a literary agent who must sacrifice her own daughter to appease the restless spirit of her client's mother. Although certainly not the studio's best effort, this is still an amusing diversion, featuring the standard twist ending and a flamboyant approach suggestive of EC horror comics. ~ cavett binion, r

ovi

“Can You Survive a Horror Movie?” a test for viewers

Chiller is presenting the original special “Can You Survive a Horror Movie?” at 8 p.m. Friday, July 13, and, although it has a somewhat intriguing topic, the show barely manages to engage interest and is mostly made up of “Fear Factor”-type contests and competitions that include lame zombie actor-fighting battles.

The three hosts, Anthony Marks, Annie Unnold and Morgan West are subjected to tasks such as snatching with their mouth a crucifix from a partially pea soup-filled large fish tank container, being buried in a coffin barely underground with cockroaches and fake blood poured in, and eating such delectable treats as Rocky Mountain oysters.

The semi-interesting segments of the special include doctors, physical fitness authorities and survival experts answering questions such as whether someone could survive on blood alone like a vampire or how long could someone survive being buried alive.

The element of “Can You Survive a Horror Movie” was the setting for the show, which was the camp in Blairstown, N.J. that was used as Camp Crystal Lake in the making of the original “Friday the 13th” film.

If you’re a horror movie fan, your time would be better spent watching “Friday the 13th,” “Halloween,” “Psycho,” or any other horror classic.
by Melissa Hayer

"THE POSSESSION" August 31st 2012

After seeing a pair of new stills in June, a spiffy new one for the Sam Raimi produced, Ole Bornedal directed chiller THE POSSESSION has just come in. The flick is poised to enter theaters August 31st, so with less than two months away, be ready to "fear the demon that doesn't fear God."

Starring Kyra Sedgwick, Jeffery Dean Morgan, Agam Darshi, Natasha Calis and Madison Davenport - THE POSSESSION centers on:

Clyde Breneck and his 10-year-old daughter, who purchases an antique box at a yard sale. With the box, Em accidentally releases an ancient spirit that has one goal: to devour her. Clyde must team work with his ex-wife to put an end to the curse.

the flick used to be titled DIBUKK BOX, and was originally rated-R. Upon edited appeal, a PG-13 rating has been bestowed on the flick. To me, given the generic name change and the watered down material, little outside Sam Raimi's name stands out to me.by jake dee

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Dawn of the Dead (1978)

Memorable quote: “When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth.”

Scare factor: What’s scarier than watching one of the remaining humans slowly transform into a zombie? Realizing that the zombie-in-progress is one of the only people who can fly the helicopter to get you out of there. George Romero’s epic-scale zombie apocalypse movie is really the only film featuring the living dead that really captures the pure hopelessness of a global zombie apocalypse. It has spawned sequels and knock-offs and inspired video games, but nothing beats the original.

Silent Night, Bloody Night (1974)

Silent Night, Bloody Night (1974)

Memorable quote: “I have wandered in bitterness until all seasons have become as one. And that is a season of vengeance.”

Scare factor: The movie that birthed the modern slasher flick. This forgotten classic - which takes place in Arlington, of all places - features the creepy atmosphere, disturbing backstory, and out-of-the shadows violence that have become staples of the slasher films of the '80s and '90s. Some mansions are best left deserted.

"THE FUN HOUSE" Blu-ray October 16th 2012

The Funhouse (1981)

The carnival is a place for fun and laughter, but not for Amy and her friends. When their childish dare to stay all night in the spooky funhouse backfires, it leaves a trail of dismembered teenagers a mile long in Tobe Hooper’s classic video nasty era slasher.

Update Status "The Lords Of Salem"

‘The Lords Of Salem’ is it

finished, the answer is no. I had to take a break due to the Megadeth tour and a few other things. I will be returning to work on the film in July to finish it up.”

Well that clears that up, I guess. But are we getting a Fall 2012 release with it, or what?? Zombie did a video interview recently with Artisan News that may provide some answers. But first check out the plot crunch:


Heidi, a blonde rock chick, DJs at a local radio station and, together with the two Hermans (Whitey and Munster), forms part of the “Big H Radio Team”.

A mysterious wooden box containing a vinyl record arrives for Heidi, “a gift from the Lords”. She assumes it’s a rock band on a mission to spread their word. As Heidi and Whitey play the Lords’ record, it starts to play backwards, and Heidi experiences a flashback to a past trauma.

Later Whitey plays the Lords’ record, dubbing them the Lords of Salem, and to his surprise, the record plays normally and is a massive hit with listeners.

The arrival of another wooden box from the Lords presents the Big H Team with free tickets, posters and records to host a gig in Salem. Soon Heidi and her cohorts find that the gig is far from the rock spectacle they’re expecting: The original Lords of Salem are returning, and they’re out for BLOOD.
by anythinghorror

THE FIELDS

Breaking Glass Pictures is proud to present for the first time via their new social network platform, THE FIELDS, available for instant rental and download. This award winning title is now instantly available at: http://thefieldsmovie.net/

Set in 1973, The Fields is an intense tale based on a true and gripping story of a young boy and his family terrorized by an unseen presence in their Pennsylvania cornfields. Mixing elements of the horror, thriller, and gothic genres, it combines an unpredictable plotline and shocking ending, keeping audiences continually in suspense. Acclaimed stars Cloris Leachman & Tara Reid produce chilling performances that have added to the festival circuit award wins (Best Feature Film, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Director).

“By using this new technology within our platform everyone can watch quality streaming directly on their iPhone, iPad, computer, television or even on Facebook” said Richard Wolff, Breaking Glass Pictures CEO.

The technology is territory specific and provides SD/HD streaming and download directly to the public through http://thefieldsmovie.net/and embeddable on Facebook, Twitter,

cost of USD $4.99 for rent and USD $12.99 download to own.

Wolff is eager to give back to those who have contributed to Breaking Glass’ success. “In today’s age, everything is on the Internet. From sites like Indiewire to Facebook, Twitter and the countless critics and bloggers that sacrifice their time to support our catalog, everyone contributes.”

“Our new platform offers an opportunity for all registered users to embed the player and make 10% commission on sales. Partners simply go to http://thefieldsmovie.net/ click on the players share button and follow the onscreen instructions.


* * *

SYNOPSIS:

Steven is a young boy sent to live in the Pennsylvania countryside with his grandparents while his mother (Tara Reid, American Pie) and father work through their marital troubles. Though his grandmother (Academy/Emmy Award winner Cloris Leachman) and grandfather are happy to host him, they warn Steven not to enter the cornfields next to their house. Meanwhile, Steven hears news of the notorious Manson family and their gruesome killing spree. He develops a morbid fascination with the murderous cult and at the same time he can’t help but be drawn into the mysterious cornfields. Eventually he goes against his grandparents’ wishes and enters the fields — where he finds a dead body, though no one believes him. Then, menacing noises begin haunting the family from outside at night and the two family dogs go missing. Though Steven’s family tries to protect him, whatever’s lurking in the fields is about to make their lives a living nightmare
BY ABTHINGHORROR

Grave Encounters 2 October 2nd 2012

Grave Encounters 2 will hit VOD this October 2nd with a theatrical release also planned sometime in October. In 2011 GRAVE ENCOUNTERS was a found-footage horror phenomenon from the Vicious Brothers, with a trailer garnering over 20 million views on YouTube. Many people believed it was just a movie. They were wrong, and film student Alex Wright is out to prove it in GRAVE ENCOUNTERS 2. While researching the events depicted in the original film and the subsequent disappearance of its lead ”actor” Sean Rogerson, Alex Wright received a bizarre video from a mysterious blogger named “DeathAwaits666.” Appearing to show Rogerson still alive but trapped inside the Collingwood Psychiatric Hospital from GRAVE ENCOUNTERS, Alex and his friends agree to meet the blogger at the infamous hospital in hopes of learning what really happened. To their horror they quickly find themselves face-to-face with unspeakable evil. Realizing that they must be smarter and faster than Rogerson and his crew to avoid suffering the same fate.by thebigbadwolf

American Horror Story New Cast Members?

The Hollywood Reporter, Chris Zylka has joined the cast of this upcoming season's "American horror Story." Zylka has appeared in "The Secret Circle," "Shark Night," and Piranha 3DD," and his new role is being kept under wraps.

"Set at an East Coast mental institution in the 1960s, Zylka joins an all-star cast on the horror series that includes returning stars Jessica Lange (who'll play a nun), Zachary Quinto, Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson and Lily Rabe in addition to Joseph Fiennes, Chloe Sevigny, The Voice's Adam Levine, Oscar nominee James Cromwell and newcomer Lizzie Brochere."

Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection Blu-ray

In the fall, Universal Studios Home Entertainment will bring the Universal Classic Monsters: The Essential Collection to Blu-ray. This eight-disc, limited-edition box set compiles nine films from the studio's venerated horror movie catalog, all of which make their respective U.S. Blu-ray debuts through this package.blu-ray.com source

The films include:
Dracula (1931)
Drácula [Spanish-language version] (1931)
Frankenstein (1931)
The Mummy (1932)
The Invisible Man (1933)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
The Wolf Man (1941)
Phantom of the Opera (1943)
Creature from the Black Lagoon (3-D, 1954)

Juan Of The Dead

“Shaun of the Dead” set the bar incredibly high for what has come to be known as the “zombedy”. It is by far a prime example of the genre and still reigns supreme. Since then, there have been a slew of zombedies that have ranged from horrible to hilarious but lacked the heart and soul of “Shaun”. The zombie film that I have been most looking forward to seeing the past year has been “Juan of the Dead”. Not only is it Cuba’s first zombie film, it’s the first film since “Shaun” (the “Juan of the Dead” title is an obvious homage) to capture that heart and soul. It’s chock full of hilarity and political satire that would make George Romero proud.

Juan (Alexis Diaz de Villegas) is a slacker. He doesn’t work and spends most his time drinking, fishing, thieving, and fornicating with the married neighbor lady. He, along with his pal Lazaro have a simple life in Havana. That is until they realize that something strange is happening. You see, the dead are roaming the streets and are hungry for flesh. Juan is ready to rise to the occasion…..for a small fee that is. On their adventure they have Lazaro’s son Vladi, Juan’s daughter Camila (Andrea Duro), cross-dressing China (Jazz Vila), and muscle bound beast Primo (Eliecer Ramirez). When business begins to slow down they are faced with the choice on if they should stay and fight or flee to Miami.

The key to a successful film like this is to have characters that you enjoy investing your time in. Juan is basically a loser, a screw up. The film is very much his story and we see a full arc of progression for him. He and Lazaro make some very questionable decisions, though we doubt their integrity, the result of their actions is often hilarious. I’ve heard some people complaining about the main characters being unlikable and I disagree. They never really change who they are but they have the opportunity to redeem themselves and that is part of why I loved the film so much.

There are some really great gags in the film. At least two I had never seen before.One of the gags I enjoyed was with the character Primo. This guy is just a monster of a man, just huge with tattoos on his face. Yet he faints every single time he sees blood. Some really funny moments arise from it. The zombie make-up looked really good and most the CGI was used when needed and looked much better than average. The film has a very polished look and the $3 million they spent on the film was put to great use. One of my favorite scenes is the hordes of zombies walking along the ocean floor.

Director Alejandro Brugues also found it important to follow in the footsteps of the genres godfather, Mr. George Romero, and fill the film with political commentary. Swipes are taken at Castro, the U.S government, and still manages to show that the Cuban people are strong in the face of adversity.

“Juan of the Dead” was everything I had hoped it would be. Sometimes anticipation is your worst enemy when waiting to see something since the majority of the time you end up disappointed and the film never lives up to our own ridiculous standards. This time, the film does. Everything is dealt out in portions that were always just enough. We all know the saying about too much of a good thing, “Juan of the Dead” was always just enough, a perfect blend of humor, horror, and commentary.and a film that is destined to become not only a milestone in Cuban film history as well as a modern classic of the genre. This is one you shouldn’t miss.by zman

Horror Comedy The Selling Comes Home

Emily Lou’s horror comedy The Selling is finally making its way towards a U.S. release date, and we have all the details you need below.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, GoDigital has picked up the comedy horror feature The Selling for a VOD release date this August 21st.

The film stars Gabriel Diani, Janet Varney, Jonathan Klein, Etta Devine, With Nancy Lenehan and Barry Bostwick as “Father Jimmy”.

Synopsis: “A too honest for his own good real estate agent must sell a haunted house before its ghostly inhabitants ruin his life.”

Unfortunately the trailer has been set to private, but if you turn your attention HERE, you can check it out.

For more information, hit up their official Facebook page.by deth_banger

"THE RENEVANT" Coming In August

Lightning Entertainment has struck a deal with notable New York-based independent distribution company Paladin to handle the theatrical release of the award-winning horror comedy THE REVENANT, it was announced today by Lightning president Robert Beaumont, and Paladin’s president Mark Urman.

Paladin plans to release the film theatrically in August in an initial 10 markets. That same day, the film will be available as a premium V.O.D., as part of an event driven day-and-date Ultra VOD bow through Lightning’s distribution arm, Lightning Media. The DVD will be released through Lionsgate under Lightning Media’s on-going partnership with the company.

A horror comedy in the vein of SHAUN OF THE DEAD and ZOMBIELAND, THE REVENANT tells the story of a soldier and his slacker best friend who become zombies, and then use their newfound powers to become vigilante crime fighters with hilariously mixed results when their adventures become more complicated and bloody than expected. A breakout hit on the film festival circuit, THE REVENANT has garnered exceptional reviews and won numerous awards including the Best Director and Audience Awards at Fantastic Fest and Zompire,and the Audience Award at CineVegas; and played to packed houses at top festivals like Sitges, the Brussels International Film Fest, and the Fantasia Film Festival. “We are thrilled that THE REVENANT has found a theatrical home at Paladin,” said Beaumont. “Mark’s prowess in theatrical distribution, as well as his well-honed skills in the U.S. independent marketplace
by thebigbadwolf

Gratwick Films The Perfect House

Lots of films are made without money, studio backing, Hollywood contacts or professional actors every year, but very few have the polish and cache of Gratwick Films groundbreaking independent feature film "The Perfect House".

"The Perfect House" marks the official feature directorial debut of Buffalo (NY) native Kris Hulbert, but also makes cinematic history in filmmaking as the world' s first indie feature film to ever premiere on an independent-movie distribution platform built for Facebook.

Written/Produced by Kris Hubert and Co-directed by the latter and Randy Kent, "The Perfect House" is the buzz-heavy anthology horror movie about a dream-house with a hidden dark past. The film features an ensemble cast including Jonathan Tiersten, Andrea Vahl, Chris Raab aka "Raab Himself", Will Robertson, John Philbin, Becky Friedman, Hans Hernke, Holly Greene, Dustin Stevens, Jamie Lee Baker and Angelina Leigh, to name a few. Currently available on Facebook for only $3, "The Perfect House" is continuing its successful interactive run. It will next be released on DVD July 17 and on VOD on October 1, 2012.
by thebigbadwolf

THE GATE in Production

Below is the scifi-horror short, THE GATE, that you really need to check out. THE GATE is written and directed by Matt Westrup and stars John Mawson, Robert Rowe, and Tryphena Russel and in it’s short running time contains violent genetic mutations, robotic-powered armor, and some great looking CG creatures, and a few genuine scares!! And if you like it (which I’m sure you will) there’s great news … THE GATE is being developed into a feature-length film that Wayfare Entertainment will produce. I haven’t been this excited over a horror short in a really long time!!

The Collapsed

Post-apocalyptic America. The zombie apocalypse. These are all themes of the coming of the end of days, end of civilization, and the end of humanity as we know it, thus making for a rather solid setting for a movie. From THE ROAD to most recently, THE DIVIDE, these type of flicks generally invoke responses of terror, horror, and maybe most of all, depression. Yup, these movies are depressing as f*ck. And then there’s THE COLLAPSED, a super low-budget indie flick that plays up the end of the world, but with a small twist that sort of sets it apart from the pack.
The film follows a family of four (parents and their 2 adult children) as they attempt to survive the apocalypse by heading into the forest and taking their chances with nature. Ok, so it starts out like THE ROAD or even THE WALKING DEAD in some regards, but let’s face it—for a low budget flick, it’s the best situation possible as there’s not much to fake in terms of showing a forest void of people. Masked men with machine guns are on their tale as well as another unseen and deadly force, which is likely the reason for the whole end of humanity to begin with, is also amongst them in the woods (again, THE ROAD comes to mind with the crazy f*ckers in the woods chasing them down).

So as a concept, THE COLLAPSED works really well. The filmmaking is top notch, the cinematography is polished, and it feels like a big budget Hollywood picture. They also do this thing with focusing on the woods and their whole environment that was actually pretty cool. Also, the musical score is actually spot-on, as it adds to most of the film’s tension, escalating moments that would normally not be that big of a deal into something more.

However, what almost out-right killed this movie for me were the performances of the entire cast (save for the main dude, who was merely mediocre). The mother being the worse, with the daughter not far behind—seriously, these two were painful to watch. Every time they opened their mouths I felt like I was watching some high school drama production, only worse. And the mom—she didn’t even have to open her mouth to start being extraordinarily annoying and not worth a grain of salt in the acting department. Seriously, how did they get this gig? She had to of have been the only one to audition because these two were just ridiculous. So ridiculous that they practically made the movie unwatchable—lucky for us, they’re not in the entire thing. That said, the brother isn’t all that much better, nor are “the others” that show up at the end. For as solid as the production and the filmmaking is (for their budget and whatnot), the performances by the actors almost ruin the whole thing.

That aside, THE COLLAPSED offers what you’d expect to get out of a post-apocalyptic movie with a pretty good twist at the end that I only slightly saw coming. It’s a small film that aims to do big things and does so for the most part, making it a watchable experience overall, through I was keeping an eye on the clock as it drags here and there.byammon gilbert

FANTASIA FEST 2012

Fantasia International Film Festival is gearing up to take Montreal by storm

with three weeks of inspiration and thrills starting July 19, 2012. The full 2012 lineup of programming and special events will be revealed next month, but the fest has sent out a press release announcing its First Wave of Programming to whet your appetite.

If They Came From Within: An Alternative History of Canadian Horror Movies

Cinematheque Quebecoise, July 20– July 29
Opening gala July 20, 5PM

Imagine an alternative universe of Canadian horror movies that didn't get made, couldn't get made and maybe even shouldn't get made... but we'd still love to see.

Rue Morgue magazine Editor-in-Chief Dave Alexander brings together some of Canada and Quebec’s most celebrated genre filmmakers with some of the country’s best designers and illustrators to create a gallery of poster art for Maple Syrup genre films that don’t exist.

Jason Eisener (HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN) dreams up a post-apocalyptic, gangster, man-fish odyssey. Vincenzo Natali (SPLICE) offers his own cross-border version of BLUE SUNSHINE. Maurice Devereaux (END OF THE LINE) draws on Quebec folklore for a story of a supernatural child-killer named the Bonesetter. Bruce McDonald (HARDCORE LOGO) and author Tony Burgess (PEOPLE STILL LIVE IN CASHTOWN CORNERS) imagine two sequels to PONTYPOOL (the first of which is actually a part of Fantasia’s new international co-production market!). Lee Demarbre (SMASH CUT) brings sex, cannibalism and espionage to Parliament Hill in his hoser-happy EMANNUELLE movie. Plus more from filmmakers Eric Tessier (5150 ELM’S WAY), Karim Hussain (LA BELLE BETE, cinematographer of Brandon Cronenberg’s ANTIVIRAL), Astron-6 (FATHER’S DAY), Rodrigo Gudiño (THE FACTS IN THE CASE OF MISTER HOLLOW), George Mihalka (MY BLOODY VALENTINE), Brett Kelly (MY DEAD GIRLFRIEND, Donna Davis (NIGHTMARE FACTORY) and several from Alexander himself.

Featuring original art created by: Rupert Bottenberg, Angus Byers, Donald Caron, Jason Edmiston, Justin Erickson, Vince Marconi, Mathew Marigold, Richard Patmore, Martin Plante, Ghoulish Gary Pullin, Paige Reynolds, Eric Robillard, Mathew Verreault, Adam Vierra, Mark Unterberger and James White.

Expect additional multimedia surprises, including original soundtrack recordings from Montreal musician Conrad Simon.

Montrealers will get a special chance to see this first, with many of the creators present, before the show embarks on a nationwide gallery tour.

FANTASIA LOVES JENNIFER LYNCH

From the day she exploded onto the scene with the largely misunderstood and still-controversial BOXING HELENA nineteen years ago, Jennifer Lynch has been a spellbinding iconoclast on the American indie landscape, her provocative approach to filmmaking seeing her alternately championed and demonized. She is a fascinating filmmaker who has made but several works across her near-twenty year career. Each have been standouts, their connective tissues threaded in baroque aesthetics, unconventional performance styles, darkly eccentric streaks of humour and subversively compelling gazes into our capacities for cruelty, obsession and sexual deviancy. This year, Fantasia will celebrate the wildly individualistic work of Jennifer Lynch with a pair of special screenings: First up is the world premiere of Lynch’s brand new production, CHAINED, which stars Vincent D’onofrio as a taxi driving serial killer who abducts a young boy and raises him as his son – fully expecting the child to grow into being a mass murderer himself. In Lynch’s hands, what could have been a simple “how to make a monster” serial killer film turns into a black discourse on parenthood and instinct.

Also starring is Eamon Farren and Julia Ormond, the latter reteaming with Lynch after 2008’s brilliant SURVEILLANCE. Fantasia will also be presenting the Quebec premiere of Australian filmmaker Penny Vosniak’s recent Hot Docs smash DESPITE THE GODS, which documents Lynch’s star-crossed adventures in India directing HISSS, an ambitious Bollywood film (and a rare Bollywood/US co-production) whose production spiraled out of control due to producer mismanagement and various twists of fate. It is one of the strongest films about the trials and madness of moviemaking that you will ever encounter. Screenings of both films will be hosted by Jennifer Lynch.

MARK HAMILL & TONY TODD ARE COMING TO TOWN WITH “SUSHI GIRL”

Among the 150+ feature film lineup, Fantasia will be presenting the international premiere of Kern Saxton’s hotly anticipated crime thriller SUSHI GIRL, featuring Mark Hamill in a startlingly sinister lead.

Hamill’s portrayal of Luke Skywalker in the originating STAR WARS trilogy is one of the most iconic performances in Fantastic Film history and remains among the most beloved screen characters in the annals of pop culture.

SUSHI GIRL was produced by - and co-stars – the inimitable Tony Todd (CANDYMAN, the FINAL DESTINATION films). Also appearing in the film are Noah Hathaway (THE NEVERENDING STORY, James Duvall (DONNIE DARKO), Danny Trejo (MACHETE), Michael Biehn (THE TERMINATOR) and none other than Sonny Chiba (STREET FIGHTER).

Hosting the Fantasia launch will be Mark Hamill, Tony Todd, Michael Biehn and Kern Saxton – with additional guests to be announced!

AN EXPANDED DOCUMENTARY FILM LINEUP

The popular “Documentaries From the Edge” section returns to Fantasia’s 2012 lineup, larger and more compelling than ever. Here’s a two-title tease of what you can expect:

WE ARE LEGION: THE STORY OF THE HACKTIVISTS (Quebec Premiere) - Dir: Brian Knappenberger A standout at SXSW, Hot Docs, Slamdance and The Calgary Underground Film Festival, this captivating film traces the history of hacktivism and explores the motives and missions of Anonymous, veritable superheroes of digital activism who’ve taken on everything from oppressive dictatorships to Pay Pal and the Church of Scientology and have recently been making significant headlines in Quebec. This screening will be presented in association with Cinema Politica (www.cinemapolitica.org).

MY AMITYVILLE HORROR – Dir: Eric Walter For the first time in 35 years, Daniel Lutz recounts his version of the infamous Amityville haunting that terrified his family in 1975, when he was only 8 years old. This documentary, the result of over ten years of independent research, reveals the horror Lutz experienced growing up in the center of a world famous haunting. As much as this is a film about the paranormal, complete with eerie photographic documentations, it’s every bit as much about the terrible effects that mass international media exposure can have on a family.

Fantasia’s complete 2012 documentary lineup will be announced in just a few weeks.by eric walkuski

'American Horror Story' Season 2

You

knew that Jessica Lange would return for more "American Horror Story" in Season 2 of the hit FX anthology series, but new details about who she'll be playing have emerged.

Here's what we know: The second season will be set on the East Coast, in an insane asylum in 1960s, and in an interview with MTV, "American Horror Story" writer Tim Minear revealed that Lange's character is nothing like Season 1 bad girl Constance.

"She's not playing this kind of ersatz Tennessee Williams character this time," he said. "She's playing something that's a little more East Coast, a little more patrician."

the darkly-motivated antagonist of the show's first season, Lange's new persona is much more pure and innocent. "She's playing a nun," he said. "She's playing an administrator of a facility. It's different. In this instance, she's a bride of Christ."

But Lange isn't the only familiar face returning to "AHS." In May, showrunner Ryan Murphy let us know that Evan Peters, who played "ultimate badass bad boy" Tate Langdon, will be "the hero of the show" in the second season. "It’s not like the actors are playing similar parts. They’re going to look different, they’re going to sound different, they’re going to have different accents," Murphy explained to Vulture. "It’s a different time period. The actors are so excited to do that.

In addition to Lange and Peters, stars Zachary Quinto, Lily Rabe and Sarah Paulson will be back for Season 2. Meanwhile, Chloe Sevigny, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine and James Cromwell will also join the "American Horror Story" cast. Levine recently gave E! Online the scoop on his character.

"I'm newly married, and I go with my wife on our honeymoon," Levine teased. "I don't want to tell you too much and it and actually I should shut my mouth because will freak out, but it's gory…it sounds like so much fun and that's why I wanted to do it. I was like, this doesn't even sound like acting; this sounds, like, hysterical, funny, dark and cool and right up my alley."

Relatively unknown French actress named Lizzie Brocheré will be playing a femme fatale named Gia.

don't get too attached to these characters. As Minear reminded, when it comes to "American Horror Story," no one is safe. The writer revealed that when he was approached to write for the show, he had reservations about turning Murphy's idea into a television series.

House Of Wax 2 Coming Soon ?

Joel Silver and Jaume Collet-Serra were doing some press work over the weekend and Silver was asked about a possible sequel to "House of Wax". It's alittle early to ask that though right? The movie hasn't even been released yet but people are already asking for a sequel. Well check out what he told Dark Horizons:

"At Dark Castle we don't make any sequels. There will be "The Reaping" as a sequel, it has nothing to do with it [House of Wax], it's just that's why we made Dark Castle. I've been involved in a bunch

of sequels and they may have been commercially successful but they weren't successful to me. With the Matrix...they weren't really a sequel they were serial fiction. To create another movie after another one is over just because it was successful I'm not going to do that."

"Night Of The Living Dead" Limited Edition Blu-Ray October 9, 2012

Seven people are trapped in an isolated farmhouse and living an unspeakable nightmare. Cannibalistic zombies have been awakened from the dead and are on a relentless killing and eating binge.

Prometheus Coming To Blu-ray October 9, 2012

Synopsis: In the distant future, two superpowers control Earth and fight each other for all the solar system's natural resources. When one side dispatches a team to a distant planet to terraform it for human colonization, the team discovers an indigenous race of bio-mechanoid killers

Rob Zombie to Make 1970's Philadelphia Flyers?

Rob Zombie is set to direct a film

about the Philadelphia Flyers of the 1970s

we'll soon get to see what the famous heavy metal musician can cook up, as he'll be writing, directing and producing a film called Broad Street Bullies, deadline.com reports.


This isn't Zombie's first film endeavor, as he also directed House Of 1000 Corpses and Halloween, but it'll certainly be a new direction. The Broad Street Bullies, of course, were known for their punishing play, but a sports film is a stark contrast from the demonic music and horror movies that Zombie is usually associated with.

Zombie is excited for the challenge, though, having already secured the rights, as well as the support of the Flyers organization. He reportedly likened the tone of the tale to Rocky meets Boogie Nights on ice.

"Each character involved is more outrageous than the next," Zombie reportedly said. "The backdrop of the turbulent year of 1974 is perfect for this 'stranger than fiction' sports tale."

Zombie will reportedly produce with Andy Gould, Les Borsai and Jeremy Platt, and they are

ALIEN Blu-Ray $9.99

Science Behind Scary Movies

The scariest part of a horror film often is waiting for it to start. You hear the premise (The Sixth Sense's) or see the trailer (a ghostly image on a TV screen for The Ring), and your palms sweat. Standing in line, you glance around to see if anyone else has that anguished look. By the time the film begins, you're a nervous wreck. What movie could match your nightmare of anticipation?

For two decades, horror movies have been R-rated snuff cartoons with severed limbs and buckets of blood. The Freddy and Jason films and the Chainsaw Massacres appeal to the connoisseurs of special-effects gore. Every item is laid out for you to see, like the carcasses in a butcher's window.

But there's another kind of horror, a subtler, more seductive and lingering kind. "Whether it's Polanski's Repulsion or Rosemary's Baby or Kubrick's The Shining," says former Fox studio boss Bill Mechanic, "some of the best horror movies had a certain elegance to them." These films tell you that what you don't know or notice can hurt you. They are to the gore fests as romantic dramas are to porn. They are about mood, atmosphere, the notion that death is everywhere and inevitable.

Gross-out horror movies are essentially facetious; the more artful films are dread serious. "For me," says M. Night Shyamalan, who revived the ghost-story trend with The Sixth Sense in 1999, "the challenge is taking a B-movie subject like ghosts or aliens or monsters in the woods and treating it with absolute respect and sincerity." And at their heart, they have an all-too-human sadness. "There may be a bit more acceptance of horror because of what's going on in the world today," says George Romero, director of the classic Night of the Living Dead. "When people feel threatened, they either go to pure entertainment or to something that might strike a chord with the fears they have in real life."

The trick of dread movies is to take ordinary events and invest them with the unbeatable combination of must-see and can't-bear-to-look. Go on, take a stroll in the woods (in Shyamalan's The Village) when you've been told that monsters lurk there. Or a dip in the ocean (in the low-budget thriller Open Water) when you're left stranded as shark bait. Try to wash out that feeling of dread by shampooing your hair (in the Japanese spookathon Ju-on: The Grudge). You begin to rub in the shampoo--and for a moment you feel a third hand, corpse cold, massaging your scalp.


Just now, grown-up horror is frightfully chic. The Village, which Shyamalan describes as "a Grimm fairy tale--Little Red Riding Hood, but an adult, dark version of it," creeps into theaters this week, followed by Open Water. Ju-on has opened in New York City and Los Angeles and spreads to a dozen cities next month. Soon we'll see an assault of Hollywood remakes of Japanese horror films. The Ring 2, a sequel to the 2002 Naomi Watts thriller that grossed $230 million worldwide, is being directed by Hideo Nakata, who helmed the original Japanese film version. A remake of Nakata's Dark Water, about a woman and her daughter drowning in sorrow and fear, will star Jennifer Connelly; Mechanic is the producer, and Walter Salles (Central Station) is the director. And Ju-on, Japan's top fright franchise (with four episodes) since The Ring, gets its Hollywood remake in October, with the original films' auteur, Takashi Shimizu, calling the shots and Sarah Michelle Gellar starring for producer Sam Raimi.

"Psychological or atmospheric horror is what's attracting audiences these days," says Roy Lee, the Korean American who sold The Ring and Ju-on to Hollywood. It attracts producers too, since atmospherics cost less than computer legerdemain. But you don't have to be Japanese to scare people smartly. You need only a potent idea and $200,000. That was the budget for Open Water, based on the true story of an American couple who were left behind on Australia's Great Barrier Reef by a scuba boat.

In the movie version, Daniel (Daniel Travis) and Susan (Blanchard Ryan) are on a Bahamas holiday when their dive boat leaves without them. A day and night in open water bring out all manner of monsters, not just sharks. And all manner of fears. As Susan says of the lurking creatures, "I don't know what's worse: seeing them or not seeing them." Just knowing the unknown may be near is dread enough.

"We absolutely did not set out to make a shark movie," says writer-director Chris Kentis, who shot the film with his wife, producer Laura Lau. "And we didn't set out to make a horror film." But it couldn't have been fun for the two leads. Travis and Ryan had to spend two days dangling in water surrounded by dozens of gray reef and bull sharks who threw chunks of bloody tuna to the sharks to keep them nearby but not hungry). The mix of emotional intimacy and shark verite in this well-crafted indie effort makes for 80 minutes of aqua anguish.

"You have to credit M. Night Shyamalan for bringing horror back to the Hollywood mainstream," says Walter F. Parkes, the DreamWorks exec who produced the U.S. Ring movies and has optioned the Korean doomed-family epic The Tale of Two Sisters. "The Sixth Sense was beautifully shot, well written, with a mature approach to the genre." It also grossed $294 million at the North American box office. That number will scare up a lot of converts.

Shyamalan's latest exercise in mystery is set in a village as remote, quaint and full of foreboding as the Hobbits' Shire. The elders warn their young not to go into the woods, for there monsters dwell. For years a tense equilibrium has obtained; neither group invades the other's terrain. Suddenly there are raids and animal mutilations by the unseen creatures. Fear grips the village, but two of the young--Lucius (Joaquin Phoenix) and his blind, beloved Ivy

-are bold and pure enough to confront the demons.

After The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Signs, Shyamalan is practically a scientist of horror. "All the decisions are made in honor of the God of Tension," he says. "Raising the tension over and over and over and never letting you up." That means direction and misdirection worthy of Hitchcock. "Where you would normally cut, I don't cut, so now you're not sure of the rhythm of the movie, which makes you feel uneasy. Or the camera is moving just six inches over the course of three minutes--you're not sure why because you're not aware, but you're feeling somehow more tense. You can see the outline of a path that you know you are supposed to walk because you've walked it so many times. But you're getting lost in the woods."

The film's payoff raises more questions than it answers, which may be Shyamalan's intent in this political parable of fear. When the kids are let in on the fairy tale's secret, they are told, "Do your very best not to scream." That's a rule viewers of The Village need not obey.by Desa Philadelphia and Jeffrey Ressner/Los Angeles

The Woman in the Fifth June 15,2012

A writer stranded in Paris falls into a strange relationship with a mysterious woman in this drama from writer and director Pawel Pawlikowski. Tom Ricks (Ethan Hawke) is an American novelist who has been wrestling with writers' block since the publication of his first book. Tom is married to Nathalie (Delphine Chuillot) but their relationship has taken a turn for the worse, and after she goes home to France with their daughter Chloe (Julie Papillon) in tow, Tom flies there in hopes of reconciling with her. However, Tom is robbed shortly after arriving, and is stuck with no money and nowhere to go. He is befriended by Sezer (Samir Guesmi), who gives him a job as a night watchman and a room in a cheap hotel, but for all his generosity, Tom isn't sure he trusts his benefactor. He then meets Margit (Kristin Scott Thomas), a beautiful woman with a literary bent, and ends up spending the night with her. But what begins as a passing fling takes on a more sinister cast as Margit sends Tom through a series of increasingly bizarre experiences in the interest of reawakening his muse. La Femme du 5e (aka The Woman in the Fifth) received its North American debut at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi